Normally I don’t like to run on back-to-back days because I prefer to give my body a days recovery between runs. I had to do some schedule rearrangements though. Earlier this year I entered into the Sturgis Falls Half Marathon here in Cedar Falls on June 30th. Four weeks ago, I started using “The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer” to guide me in my training. There was a slated 11 mile long run in that trainer which would have come after the half-marathon. I wanted to fit it in the week before the half-marathon so I scheduled some back to back running days between now and then.
I will have the 11 mile run on June 25th, Lord willing. Then a taper run that Thursday. The Half-Marathon will be Sunday.
As for today’s time, I wasn’t all that impressed with it. I went out about 5:15 Saturday evening. I could give excuses. It was another warm one yesterday (85 degrees and sunny- although we had a nice east-southeast wind at about 12 mph). I could say that I did the run after a 10-hour shift at work so I wasn’t as fresh as I would have been had I done the run in the morning.
But looking at the data on my Nike Run Club app, I can’t help but think it was more mental than anything that dragged me down. In my #5k course there is a half-mile striaghtaway at a place called Greenhill Drive. There are no trees or shade. By the time I reach there, I would have already put in a mile-and-a-half. Coming up over the hill looking at it can be sometimes psychologically taxing for me.
Yesterday, my pace dropped along that section. Not by much by my standards. But enough to cost me a new personal record. Mental toughness on the run is something I will be concentrating on the next few weeks.
That being said, If you would have told me a couple of months ago that I would be finishing that route in a half-hour after a long days work and in uncomfortable heat, I would have been very happy with the prospect.
So I am heading in the right direction.
319 Iowa Runner 